In the highly-anticipated Poppy Playtime Chapter 2, the protagonist continues to see mysterious messages upon dying, leaving players wondering who the messages are from. The screens players see when they die in both chapters of Poppy Playtime show words of encouragement, telling the player to get up and keep going. While it hasn't been confirmed who these messages are from, many clues within the messages reveal their author. Poppy Playtime has been praised for its lore, and the latest installment, "Fly in a Web," provides fans with even more information about Playtime Co. and its employees.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2: Fly in a Web was released on May 5, after much speculation and rumors surrounding the release. Chapter 2 introduces a new antagonist, the Betty Spaghetty-inspired Mommy Long Legs, replacing Chapter 1's Huggy Wuggy. Chapter 2's storyline picks up where Chapter 1 left off, continuing from the point where the player releases Poppy Playtime, the game's titular character, from her case. After freeing Poppy, the player continues to explore the Playtime Co. toy factory, meeting new characters along the way.
There are several theories as to who's talking to the player when they die, based on the messages displayed on-screen to the player and how these messages are worded. The first theory is that the person talking to the player when they die is the Scientist. The Scientist is a Playtime Co. employee responsible for Playtime Co.'s experiments, heard talking on the Experiment 1006 VHS Tape. One death screen says: "INNOVATION IS KEY. THANK YOU SCIENCE." Another says: "Exp. 1006. Isn’t he wonderful?" hinting the player could be Experiment 1006, not Huggy Wuggy. The scientific references in these messages could suggest the Scientist is behind them.
Poppy Playtime Chapter 2: Death Screen Messages Explained
The Scientist is a minor character in Poppy Playtime, with little known about him, so a more prominent character may be the one talking to the player when they die. Therefore, Laithe Pierre, the Head of Innovation at Playtime Co., could be responsible instead. Many players believed Poppy herself was behind the death screens in Poppy Playtime Chapter 1, encouraging the player to get up so they could reach Poppy and free her from her case. However, the death screens reappeared throughout Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 since its release, despite Poppy now being free. Poppy could be cheering the player on for another reason, often referencing "her plans" in her voice lines.
It seems highly likely that a Playtime Co. employee, like Laithe Pierre or the Scientist, is behind the cryptic death screen messages that players see when they die in Poppy Playtime. While it's clear Poppy Playtime's titular character has hidden motives of her own to encourage the player on their journey, the messages about innovation, science, and Experiment 1006 seem out of character for Poppy. Additionally, Poppy talks to the protagonist pleasantly, frequently telling them they are "perfect". Poppy Playtime Chapter 2's death screen messages are the opposite, bluntly telling the player "This isn't about you." Poppy Playtime's storyline continues to unfold so, hopefully, the person talking to the player when they die will soon be revealed.